1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a body structure for a vehicle and more particularly to a body structure for a vehicle having a toe board opposite to a rear side of a front wheel.
2. Discussion of Related Arts
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a front portion of a vehicle as viewed from rear in the lengthwise direction of a vehicle body and FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view taken along a line Xxe2x80x94X of FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, a vehicle body 1 has an engine room 3 in front of a passenger compartment 2. Further, there is provided a front wheel on a left side and a right side, respectively.
In FIG. 6, reference numeral 10 denotes a side frame extending along a left and right side in the lengthwise direction of a vehicle 5.
There is provided a collapsible section 11 (impact absorbing means) at the front portion of the side frame 10. The collapsible section 11 is constituted by a plurality of beads (not shown) so that the side frame 10 is successively, smoothly collapsed from the front end thereof.
Reference numeral 100 denotes a bumper beam which is a skeleton member of a bumper provided at the front end of the vehicle 5 and extending in the widthwise direction of the vehicle 5. The bumper beam 100 extends in the widthwise direction of the vehicle 5 and is secured to respective front ends of the left and right side frames 10, 10. There is provided a front wheel 4 behind a protrusion 100a outwardly protruded from the side frame 10. The front wheel 4 is rotatably supported by body members such as the side frame 10 through a suspension system (not shown). Further, the front wheel 4 is connected with a steering system (not shown) interlocking with a steering wheel (not shown) in the passenger compartment 2 so as to steer the front wheel 4.
Further, there is provided a sheet like toe board 13 for partitioning between the engine room 3 and the passenger compartment 2 in a rear side position of the front wheel 4. The toe board 13 is connected at the respective left and right ends thereof with a side sill 15 respectively extending along the left and right side of the passenger compartment 2 in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle 5. Further, reference numeral 14 denotes a reinforcement connecting both left and right side sills 15, 15 in cooperation with the toe board 13. The reinforcement 14 forms a torque box having a closed cross section.
When an impact load P is applied to the vehicle 5 from the front side thereof, the collapsible section 11 of the side frame 10 is collapsed from the front end thereof and deformed. As a result, the impact energy is absorbed and an impact upon the passenger compartment 2 is alleviated.
However, when the front wheel 4 is in a straight running condition, in case where an offset impact load is applied from the front side to a vehicle constituted as shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 100a of bumper beam 100 is pushed backward and as a result the front wheel 4 goes back. The front wheel 4 traveling backward displaces the toe board 13 and the side sill 15 backward. As a result since the front wheel 4 is interleaved with the bumper beam 100 and the toe board 13, it is difficult to secure an adequate clash stroke, this leading to an enlarged damage on the passenger compartment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle body structure capable of protecting an occupant by controlling the deformation of a toe board when an impact load is applied to a vehicle from the front side thereof.
In order to achieve the object, the body structure comprises an impact absorbing means provided in a side frame for absorbing an impact applied from the front side of the vehicle and a front wheel rotation guiding means provided in a bumper beam for guiding a front section of a front wheel so as to rotate inwardly when an impact is applied to the bumper beam.